the Soy Bean Forums

The things you find when searching Asia

2007-01-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

Since I start my Asian Studies class at the end of the month, I was skipping around the news sites this morning (that's this morning MY time which is 8 hours ahead of EST) on the subject of Asia and came across this article on American Economic Alert written by William R. Hawkins. It's his opinion on the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission's recent report. I plan on sitting down and reading the report tomorrow instead of just the quick skim I did tonight. It's getting late and I like to get up early. I would really like to look further into the forged auto parts, GM's hand in the Chinese auto market, and the fact that the USCC says the American Military buys parts for its vehicles from China.
Now, on the flip side of things, I did find this article on China's White Paper on National Defense at the English Sina site, and this one at the China Daily, and the "actual"(?) report here. Or something resembling an actual report. Sina also did mention the opening of a Best Buy in China. Pretty groovy stuffs. I'll try very hard to have a report to post later this week.
EDIT:
Yea, I take it this is a mistake lots of new bloggers make. The USCC report is very long, about 277 pages long. The China White Paper is considerably shorter and neither one can tell you anything you can't already figure out. They are both still chock full of interesting info. You cannot compare one to the other. They are completely different. Live and learn I will, live and learn.

Tick, tock, tick, tock

2006-12-29T02:12:00.000-08:00

Quite a bit of confusion on when Saddam's last day will actually be.

"Iraq's Saddam-era penal code bars executions on religious holidays. Eid al-Adha holiday, which follows the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca, runs until January 7 in Iraq."

I'm not sure, but I belive Eid al-Adha starts directly after the 1st of January. If that is the case, they may rush him to the noose before then.

(EDIT) They wasted no time. Eid al-Adha started today for the Sunni and the Kurds. In Iraq, they cannot execute on a religious holiday. Now I understand why Eid al-Adha starts tomorrow for the Shia. (or so the way it looks...)

Still too Early to Celebrate

2006-12-29T01:50:00.000-08:00

Ethiopa is now in possession of Mogadishu after 10 days of fighting. The Somali PM, Gedi, is declaring 3 months of martial law and states the country is "far from stable". Ken Menkhaus, a Horn of Africa specialist teaching in NC states this could be the beginning of...

"an asymetrical war involving a combination of hit and run guerrilla attacks, car bombings, assassinations and possibly even selected acts of terrorism on other parts of East Africa."

Yea, that sounds about right.

You thought KFD (Korean fan death) was bad?!

2006-12-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of Koro? Today was the first time I heard of it. I am glad I now know the signs and symptoms. Unfortunatly I have no reason to blame Koro for my own shortcomings

I wonder how much longer untill the Chinese govt. gives up

2006-12-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

Chinese internet users surf in disguise

It's just a matter of time.

Now here's a thought

2006-12-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

Here’s something that should have been done 3 years ago in Iraq. Jobs. It could have been that easy. I do not think we should go into a country with contractors that hire foreign help to rebuild Iraqi neighborhoods and infrastructure. People naturally do not have the pride that would be associated with being a bigger part of the rebuilding process. If you put your blood and sweat into a project, you would make damn sure no-one blows it up. If more Iraqi people were put to work sooner I do not think you would have the animosity that exists today. You also wouldn’t have as many angry, unemployed young men running around feeling they need to pick up a gun to make a difference or blow themselves up so their family gets fed.

Africa's WWII?

2006-12-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

Earlier today I hit up Coming Anarchy and found an interesting post on Ethiopia and Somalia. A bit later I found this interview by Ken Menkhaus. He is a former special advisor to the U.N. operation in Somalia.

When asked if the Council of Islamic Courts is controlled by al Qaeda, he states:

“No. Absolutely not.”

That’s not to say the two aren’t in a partnership.

Mr. Menkhaus’s sees this crisis different from Dafur’s.

“Darfur is a manmade crisis, and it’s an ongoing one that is incredibly difficult to access. In Somalia, for the moment, the biggest crisis is a natural disaster, the flooding.”

Here's what the leader of the CIC had to say about the Somali retreat.

"Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, leader of the Council of Islamic Courts' executive body, said the group had told its troops to withdraw from some areas.

"The war is entering a new phase," he said. "We will fight Ethiopia for a long, long time and we expect the war to go everyplace."

Ahmed declined to explain his comments in greater detail, but some Islamic leaders had threatened a guerrilla war to include suicide bombings in Ethiopia's capital."

Could it be a bluff or the start of something much bigger? I’m thinking the latter. They know they can’t fight conventionally and win, as does everybody else.

The Dirty Dozen

2006-12-26T07:34:00.000-08:00

I thought this article was interesting. I’m just wondering why somebody needs to take a class on mail order brides. What major would that fall under? Should I take it because I am (very recently) working on my Bachelors Degree in Asian Studies? You know...for the "well rounded" approach.

If your SAT-NAV told you to jump over a cliff, would you do it?

2006-12-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

You really have to read this one. 'Nuff said.

Holiday spirit?

2006-12-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Seems like Kim Jong Il is in the giving spirit this holiday season. He is kind enough to give some people a the gift of electricity provided they use one light bulb. Of course this is for his mother's birthday which is a North Korean national holiday.

But to be fair to "Li'l Kim"; he is giving his troops something to keep them occupied. I found this on Lost Nomad.

Conscription anyone?

2006-12-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

There’s a great discussion going on over at Neptunus Lex about compulsory service.

“Rangel also has a persistent - even if persistently incorrect - belief that the burdens of military service fall disproportionately upon the underprivileged and those of color, so his advocacy of a draft isn’t entirely political. It also has roots in the daddy-knows-best brand of paternalism that so many of today’s volunteers find so comprehensively offensive - witness his burbling about the lack of “career choices” driving people towards a volunteer service.”

“Five years after 9/11, virtually every man or woman now serving in the US military has enlisted, re-enlisted or voluntarily continued to serve knowing that there was a high likelihood of serving in combat.”

Personally, I have mixed feelings about it. However, I do believe young people should serve in some type of federal or state capacity for many reasons. But I truly do not want somebody on my gun that feels forced to be there.

My first post.

2006-12-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Soy Bean Forums. I guess you can say that today is the "Grand Posting". I was thinking about going on and on about nothing too relevant, but decided that wasn't such a good idea. Just to let you know tho, I'm not an intellectual, I'm an average guy that's got an interest in the world. I do promise to properly use the words too, to, two and tew as well as your and you're.
Let's get on with it, shall we?

BT